Volkswagen Tiguan Owners Manual: Manual transmission: Gearshift lever

Fig. 132 Gearshift pattern of a 6-speed manual transmission.

Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first⇒Introduction to the subject 

The positions of the individual gears are shown on the gearshift lever ⇒ Fig. 132 .

• Depress the clutch pedal all the way and hold.

• Move the gearshift lever into the desired position.

• Release the clutch pedal to engage the gear.

The clutch pedal must be fully depressed to start the engine.

Shifting into reverse

• Only shift to the reverse gear when the vehicle is not moving.

• Depress the clutch pedal fully and hold ⇒ .

• Move the gearshift lever to neutral and press down.

• Move the shift lever to the left and then push forward into the reverse gear position ⇒ Fig. 132Ⓡ ⇒ .

• Release the clutch pedal to engage the gear.

Downshifting

You should always downshift gear by gear when driving, meaning always into the next lowest gear. Do not downshift when the engine rpm (revolutions per minute) is too high ⇒ . At fast speeds or high engine rpms, skipping over one or more gears when downshifting can cause damage to the clutch and transmission, even if a gear is not engaged ⇒ .

Warning

Downshifting to a lower gear incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle control and can cause accidents and serious personal injuries.

Warning

When the engine is running and a gear is engaged, the vehicle will start to move as soon as the clutch pedal is released, even when the parking brake is applied. This also applies when the parking brake is engaged.

• Never shift into reverse when the vehicle is moving.

Note

Shifting down to a gear that is too low when driving at fast speeds or high engine rpms can cause extensive damage to the clutch and transmission. That is true even if the clutch pedal is pressed so that the clutch is not engaged.

Note

To help prevent damage and premature wear:

• Do not rest your hand on the gearshift lever while driving. Over time, the pressure will cause premature wear in the transmission.

• Make sure that the vehicle has come to a complete stop before shifting into reverse.

• Always depress the clutch pedal all the way when changing gears.

• Do not hold the vehicle on a hill using engine power with the clutch pedal partially engaged and the engine running.